Yamaha V Star 950 / Tourer

It’s difficult to build a middleweight cruiser with breakout styling, exemplary fit and finish, and a high degree of what you might call “moto tech” – and to have a low sticker price at the end. Yamaha manages this trapeze act brilliantly with the V Star 950, which looks every bit the part of a long, menacing uber-custom and backs it with the performance of a 942cc V-twin. Despite one front disc and non-adjustable suspension, this rider won’t notice anything missing. Also available: The 950 Tourer, with windscreen and saddlebags, has the dipped-in-chrome appearance of its larger, more expensive brethren.